1. The High Stakes of Cyber Burnout
Looking at Cyber Life using a holistic approach
Jothi Dugar
CISO, Holistic Wellness Practitioner, Author,
Dance Director, Mentor/Coach

2. A Short Little Story
Once Upon a time…

3. The Modern Cyber Leader’s Life
Leadership Strategic Thinking Risk Management Communications
Business KnowledgeSecurity Expertise Technical KnowledgeRelationship Mgmt

4. Understanding
ourselves from
within
Mind
Body
Energy
Self
It’s All Connected
50+ 35 to 50 18 to 34

5. CRISIS
MODE
Step 1 - Alarm
Involves physiological reactions — hormonal, neurological, cardiovascular, etc.
— and psychological reactions, as we move into a fight, flight, or freeze
response for survival.
Step 2 - Resistance
Physiological and psychological attempt to adapt to and overcome the effects of
the stressor. This is all well and good if the stressor resolves — if not, the stress
hormone cortisol will continue to be produced, resulting in poor sleep,
increased illness, anxiety, weight gain, and poor cognitive functioning.
Step 3 - Exhaustion
May follow when a stressor becomes chronic either from ongoing exposure or
ineffectual and repeated attempts to deal with it. We become overwhelmed.
* Per Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) process

6. Stress vs Distress
Stress
“Stress denotes a real or perceived perturbation to an
organism’s physiological homeostasis or psychological
well-being.” The body then responds through a
myriad of behaviors to get things back to normal (e.g.
getting angry, trying to control things, avoid
situations, shutting down, overactivation, self-soothe,
taking breaks, etc). Stress can be positive
(eustress) AND negative.
* National Research Council (2008). Recognition and
alleviation of distress in laboratory animals. National
Academies Press.
Distress
“Most definitions characterize distress as an aversive,
negative state in which coping and adaptation
processes fail to return an organism to physiological
and/or psychological homeostasis.” Progression into
the maladaptive state may be due to a severe or
prolonged stressor or multiple cumulative stressful
insults with deleterious effects on the animal’s
welfare.”
* Carstens and Moberg 2000; Moberg 1987; NRC 1992

7. Common Stressors that cause Distress for
Cyber Leaders
• Connected to work 24x7 – never ending
• Work more than 40hrs a week
• Cyber incidents, tech outages, breaches,
lack of resources, funding, priority,
managing up-down-all around
• Mistakes can be costly and impact an
organization and its people significantly
• All eyes on you – high pressure, high
visibility
• Home/Family Pressure
• Financial stability
• Limited Social connections
• No time to prioritize Fitness, Health, &
Wellness
• Always wired – on the go, go, go
• No downtime
• Feeling the need to stay connected even
while on “vacation”

8. So how do YOU react when your good
friend Stress shows up in your life?
New Definition of Stress:
The thought that you had it all under control is
being tested and you are reaching for a solution
in the moment.
- Jothi Dugar

9. Symptoms of Burnout from too much problem
solving
• Emotional exhaustion
• Depersonalization
• Sense of low self esteem
• Disenchanted/cynical
• Difficulty sleeping and waking up
• Low energy
• Can’t focus
• Low appetite or opposite (binge
emotional eating)
• Lose ability to adapt psychologically,
socially, biologically, and
environmentally
• Start downward spiral leading to
substance/alcohol/other addictive
habits
• Physical health complications

10. Managing Expectations
Expectation on yourself and others play a
huge role in leading to anxiety, stress, and
distress if they are not managed adequately
– Jothi Dugar
- Disappointments
- Frustrations
- Self Worth
- Sadness
- Anger
- Grief

11. Sometimes You Just Have to Give Yourself Time to Process Grief
Denial & Isolation
Acceptance
Bargaining
Depression
Anger

12. So what can we do about Mental, Emotional,
and Physical Health?
* Created by Mary Elliott and Evan Collins

13. Helpful vs Unhelpful Thoughts
Helpful
- Recognize negative thoughts, acknowledge,
forgive the thoughts, then release
- Start small then move up the Emotional
Guidance scale (baby steps)
- Change Your Perspective – what if you are
wrong in your original negative assumption
- Positive Expectations lead to positive outcomes
- Only positive experiences and learning
experiences
- The present moment is the only moment that is
guaranteed
Unhelpful
- All or Nothing Thinking
- Catastrophizing
- Mind Reading
- Fortune Telling
- Fact vs Story
- Discounting the Positive (Humans
naturally have negative biases stemming
from evolution)
- Over Generalization

14. Easy Life Hacks
• Set Boundaries – thoughtful and intention ways of setting limits with others (and ourselves) with
the aim of preserving and enhancing our mental health
• Control – Look realistically on what you CAN control, what you CANNOT control, and what
you WISH TO CONTROL
• Fear – Need for control/Stress/Anger start with fear; look deep on what you are really scared
about and map out a “Parachute plan” – start with asking yourself “So what if this happens, then
what?” Repeat until you get to the root – then solve it
• Reasonable Expectations – on yourself and others; having no expectations on things you
CANNOT control
• Quick “Vacations” Every Day – Schedule on your calendar 5 mins every two hours through out
the day to breathe, meditate, think of positive things/places/experiences, physically move, do
things you’re passionate about
• Grateful Time – Being grateful is the only emotion that will raise your energetic vibration the
quickest; find simple things to be grateful for (first thing when you wake up, through out the day,
before you sleep)

15. 5 Simple Wellness Hacks to Manage Your
Stress in Crisis Mode
1. Fact vs Story
2. Shake It Off
3. Every Breath Counts
4. Tap It Out
5. Peace Begins With Me

16. Fact vs Story
“The truth is only the truth in the moment” – Stacy Martino
• What are the actual facts? Lay them out.
• What is the story you are telling to yourself or others?
• Change your stress script – choose a more empowering story (yes you
can do this!)
• Gather pure facts, raw data – not assumptions or other people’s stories
• Just a temporary state – it’s only the truth in the moment, not forever

17. Shake It Off
• Short physical intervals through out the day – even every hour is NEEDED
• Shaking is a natural response to extreme stress; helps regulate your fight or
flight response
• Find a quiet place if you can and do a couple stretches first to ease your body
into it
• Start shaking your hands, then arms, then shoulders, then hips, then legs, and
last your head – just let go until you feel lose (if you can, put on some upbeat
music)

18. Every Breath Counts
Three Breathing Hacks for Stress
1. Find a quiet place (office/bathroom/outside/car) and sit or stand; take a long
belly breath in for 4 counts; hold for 4 counts; exhale long and deep for 4 counts –
Repeat for 2-5mins
2. Voo Chanting – Repeat #1 but while exhaling, chant a long Vooo sound and feel it
originate from your belly; brings instant peace of mind within minutes
3. Alternate nostril breathing – hold right nostril closed with thumb as you breathe in
through left; then let go of right nostril and close left with pointer finger as you
breathe in through right; Take long deep breaths and repeat for 2-5mins

19. Tap It Out – EFT Tapping Technique
1. Take 3 deep breaths and let them out slowly
2. Rate how you are feeling right now on a scale from 1-10 (10 being the worst)
3. Start gently tapping on the Karate Chop point (edge of the hand down the middle – and inch or two
below the pinky) with two fingers of the other hand
4. Say these affirmations (out loud or quietly) as you are tapping:
- Even though my mind is buzzing with the number of things I have to do right now, I want to find
clarity and calm bit by bit
- Even though this mental pressure to solve the problem is stressing me out, I’m open to allowing
myself to slow down so I can think more clearly
- Even though I feel so overwhelmed right now, I know I am doing my best and I can do so much
more when I am relaxed
5. Take a deep breath and let it out; Rate yourself again; Repeat 2 or 3x and rate again

20. Peace Begins With Me
1. Wherever you are, gently touch your index finger to your thumb, then let go and
touch your middle finger to your thumb, let go and touch your ring finger to your
thumb, let go, then your pinky to your thumb, and let go
2. As you do this, say to yourself or out loud, “Peace begins with me”.
3. “Peace” starts with your index finger, “begins” is your middle, “with” is your ring
finger, and “me” is your pinky
4. You can do this on both hands simultaneously or just one hand
5. Repeat for at least a minute until you feel a sense of peace in your mind which is a
great starting place for big decisions

21. Importance of Wellness In Your Life, Cyber, and Organizations
• Cyber is one of the few jobs where people are actively trying to ruin your day, all
day, every day
• Prioritizing your wellness practices is key to your success and the organization’s
success
• People First Mentality - There must be holistic employee health & wellness
programs at organizations that staff are encouraged to participate in
• CISO Tip – Less is More; Think Response vs React; Start a Journaling practice
(write the good and the bad – just let it flow; transfer your energy onto paper)

22. THANK YOU!
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23. THANK YOU!
www.jothidugar.com
Jothi.Dugar@gmail.com